Burner for hand warmer



Oct. 15, 1968 D. E. WINTz 3,405,704

BURNER FOVR HAND WARMER Filed Aug. 28, 1967 ,Y hf: ,fi'i

INVENTOR. 2 boa/ua E. a/M/rz gw, Macau/14,., 3W, aa SJW Unitedy StatesPatent 3,405,704 BURNER FOR HAND WARMER Donald E. Wintz, St. Paul,Minn., assiguor to Aladdin Manufacturing Company, Minneapolis, Minn., acorporation of Minnesota Filed Aug. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 663,786 12Claims. (Cl. 126-208) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hand warmer equippedwith a removable burner having a single fibrous catalytic combustionpromoting member located within a housing removably attached to a bodyenclosing fuel impregnated absorbent material. The cornbustion promotingmember is made of a plurality of woven strands of glass fibers entwinedwith cords of `asbestos located in a two-directional diagonal ribbedpattern.

Background of invention Prior art burners for hand warmers as shown inthe patents to Smith, No. 2,670,728, and Wilcox, No. 2,914,- 060, havewire coil springs carrying combustion promoting asbestos members.Encircling both the combustion promoting members and the springs aresleeves of air pervious and noncombustible fibrous material. These twoindependent members and sleeves function together to control nonamecombustion of the burner. Other burners utilize screens, metal clips,and coil springs for closing and retaining asbestine-like material inthe housings of the burners. In burners that separate the asbestoscombustion promoting material from the air there is a marked reductionin combustion and heating efliciency. In burners that use only asbestosmaterials as the combustion promoting material there is a tendancy forthe materials to deteriorate, fall apart and iiake away during use. Inaddition, there is considerable amount of time and labor utilized inmanufacturing burners having the asbestos material either wound aroundthe wire spring or located within a screened or slipped chamber. Theburner of this invention is a onepiece fibrous catalytic combustionpromoting member having combustion promoting material exposed to air toprovide for maximum efficiency of noname combustion. This fibrouscatalytic combustion promoting member is assembled in the burner housingwith a minimum of time and labor at relatively low cost.

Summary of invention The invention relates to a flameless burner for ahand Warmer and more particularly to a fibrous catalytic combustionpromoting material located within a burner housing. The combustionpromoting material is retained in the housing adjacent side openings inthe housing where it is exposed to air in a chamber formed by the cap ofthe hand warmer. The combustion promoting material cornprises wovenstrands of non-combustible fibers entwined with spaced cords ofcombustion promoting material forming a one-piece fabric. The fabricprovides a continuous and air pervious support carrying interlaced cordsof combustion promoting material.

In the drawing FIGURE 1 is an elevational view partly in section of ahand warmer equipped with the burner of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2-2 ofFIGURE 1; y

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the burner ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a prospective view of the tubular fibrous catalyticcombustion promoting member of the burner of FIGURE 1; and

3,405,704 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 ICC FIGURE 5 is a sectional viewsimilar to FIGURE 2 of a modified burner.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in FIGURE 1, a -hand warmerindicated generally at 10 having a body or receptacle 11 carryingabsorbent material 12 for storing liquid fuel, yas naphthabenzene,heptane or related compounds or alcohol. Referring to FIGURE 2, the topwall of body 11 has an upright neck 13 having an elongated opening 14facing a burner indicated generally at 16. Burner 16 is located on neck13 adjacent a Wick 17 used to initially heat the burner to commencecombustion of the vaporized fuel. A cover or cap 18 frictionally mountedon the upper portion of body 11 encloses the burner 16 and provides anair chamber 21 around the burner. Cover 18 has a plurality ofVentilating openings 19 providing passageways for movement of air intochamber 21 to control flameless combustion of the fuel at the burner.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, there is shown burner 16 comprising ahousing indicated generally at 22 having an oblong-shaped upright base23 telescoped with a friction t on neck 13 of the body 11. Projectedupwardly from opposite ends of base 23 are semicircular shaped end walls24 and 26 connected with an elongated narrow top rib 27. The housing 22has generally rectangular side openings 28 and 29. Extended between theend walls 24 and 26 within housing 22 is an elongated continuouscombustion promoting member indicated generally at 31. Substantialportions of the sides of the combustion promoting member 31 face theside openings 28 and 29 to expose the combustion promoting member to theair in chamber 21. An elongated coil spring 32 provides circumferentialsupport for the combustion promoting member and permanently mounts themember 31 in the housing 22.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the combustion promoting member 31 is asleeve coextensive with and surrounding the coil spring 32 so that thecoil spring holds the sleeve in alignment with the side openings 28 and29. The end walls 24 and 26 have inwardly directed tabs 33 and 34 whichengage both the combustionpromoting member 31 and coil spring 32 topermanently mount the combustion promoting member and -coil spring inhousing 22. Spring 32 is a helical coil of wire having adjacent turns ateach end. The turns at the ends of the spring cooperate with the tabs 33and 34 to hold the combustion promoting member 31 and spring 32 inassembled relation with the housing 22. The midportion of the spring 32maintains the combustion promoting member in a generally cylindricalshape and provides an elongated air Space within the combustionpromoting member above the opening 14. The air space promotes dispersionof vaporized fuel to all parts of the combustion promoting member.

Referring to FIGURE 4, there is shown the cylindrical combustionpromoting member 31 comprised of interlaced strands of noncombustiblefibers 36 forming an elongated continuous cylindrical support carryingoppositely wound intersecting helical cords of combustion material 37.Strands 36 are preferably a plurality of continuous strands of glassfibers or fiber glass or similar synthetic and nonsynthetic weavable andnoncomybustible material. Cords 37 are continuous strands ofnoncombustible and chemically resistant material capable of holding andevenly dispersing vaporized fuel. The cords 37 are of asbestos,asbestine-like material, or other suitalble fibrous material. The entiremember is impregnated and treated with a catalytic agent which aids inmaintaining combustion, causes fiameless combustion to take place at arelatively slow rate, and aids in the oxidation of the fuel fumes. Thecatalytic agent and the method of cooperating the catalytic agent withstrands 36 and cords 37 may be the same described in the patent toSmith, No. 2,670,728.

The cylindrical sleeve forming combustion member 31 is formed by a braidin the nature of a twill weave using a plurality of strands of bers 36and the cords 37. The cords passing through the braided strands in leftand right helical directions to give the appearance of spaced crossingdiagonal ribs as shown in FIGURE 4. The strands 36 and cords 37 areinterlaced and entwined together to form a continuous air pervious sheetmember containing intersecting and evenly spaced combustion material.

In the assembly of burner 16 the sleeve of combustion promoting member31 is initially placed over coil spring 32. The sleeve and spring arethen inserted into the housing 22 and retained there by the punching ofthe tabs 33 and 34 inwardly from the end walls 24 and 26.

In use, the wick 17 is initially ignited to heat the combustionpromoting member 31 `aligned with the side openings 28 and 29. The fumesof the fuel which evaporate from the upper portion of the absorbentmaterial 12 combine with the oxygen of air in the presence of thecatalyst incorporated in the combustion promoting member. Thiscombination of heat, fuel fumes, combustion promoting member andcatalyst results in ameless combustion of the yfuel fumes anddevelopment and dissipation of heat. The heat generated by thecombustion aids in further evaporation of the fuel thereby providing acontinuous source of fuel for the burner. Once the burner is sufcientlyheated it continuously emanates a dull red glow without the propagationof a flame. The combustion is continuous until the supply of fuel isexhausted or the burner removed from body 11.

Referring to FIGURE 5, there is shown a modied burner indicatedgenerally at 38 frictionally mounted on the neck 39 of the body 41storing fuel absorbent material 42. Burner 38 has a U-shaped housing 43identical to the housing 22 frictionally mounted on neck 39. Housing 43.Y

has side openings 44 and 46 providing air openings for a combustionpromoting member 47 retained in assembled relation within the housing bya coil spring 48. Tabs 49 holds the spring 48 in housing 43 with member47 covering side openings 44 and 46. The member 47 is made of materialidentical to the material 31. This material has strands ofnoncombustible fiber intertwined with cords of combustion promotingmaterial. The material is draped over the spring 48 and covers theentire side openings 44 and 46. In cross-section the material has agenerally inverted U-shape which is held against the end Walls and topbar of the housing by the coil spring 48.

While there have been shown and described the preferred embodiments ofthe burner it is understood that various changes in the shape and designof the combustion promoting material and housing as well as the supportfor holding the combustion promoting material in the housing may be madeby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of theinvention. The invention is defined in the following claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are delined as follows: r

1. A burner Ifor a hand warmer comprising a housing, a

" said' eombustionpromoting member comprising woven combustion promotingmember located within said hous- 60 ing, means for retaining said memberin said housing,

strands of a noncombustible material entwined with cords of combustionpromoting material.

2. The burner of claim 1 wherein the strands of noncombustible materialeach comprise a plurality of bers.

3. The burner of claim 1 wherein said woven strands of noncombustiblematerial are a plurality of glass fibers and said cords of combustionpromoting member is of asbestine-like material.

4. The burner of claim 1 wherein said strands are braided together wit-hthe cords of combustion promoting material interwoven with the braidedstrands in a pattern providing the member with intersecting ribs ofcombustion promoting material.

5. The burner of claim 1 wherein said means for retaining said member insaid housing is a coil spring clamped to opposite ends of the housingand said cornbustion promoting member is a sleeve positioned about thecoil spring.

6. The burner of claim 5 wherein said woven strands of noncombustiblematerial are a plurality of glass fibers and said cords of combustionpromoting member is of asbestine-like material.

7. The burner of claim 5 wherein said strands are braided together withthe cords of combustion promoting material interwoven with the braidedstrands in a pattern providing the member with intersecting ribs ofcornbustion promoting material.

8. The burner of claim 1 wherein the means for retaining the member insaid housing is a coil spring clamped to the ends of the housing, saidcombustion promoting member comprising a sheet of woven base fabricentwined with cords of combustion promoting material positioned betweenthe spring and the housing to expose substantial portions of thecombustion promoting member to the air surrounding the burner.

9. A combustion promoting member for a hand warmer burner comprisingwoven strands of noncombustible material entwined with cords ofcombustion promoting material.

10. The combustion promoting member of claim 9 wherein said strands arebraided together with the cords of combustion promoting materialinterwoven with the braided strands in a pattern providing the memberwith intersecting ribs of combustion promoting material.

11. The combustion promoting member of claim 9 wherein said member is acylindrical sleeve.

12. The combustion promoting member of claim 9 wherein said wovenstrands of noncombustible material are a plurality of glass fibers andsaid cords of combustion promoting member is of asbestine-like material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,579,620 12/1951 Smith 158-962,670,728 3/ 1954 Smith 126-20'8 3,254,966 6/1966 Bloch et al. 252-477JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner. E. G. FAVORS, Assistant Examiner.

